


All That Matters

by SapphicScavenger



Category: The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:41:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27553258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SapphicScavenger/pseuds/SapphicScavenger
Summary: Even if it’s just a dream, watching your lover die in your arms is no laughing matter.
Relationships: Sally/Jack Skellington
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	All That Matters

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry I haven’t been active on this account. I got busy with life.  
> I wrote this for a friend who was having feels last night and I hope y’all enjoy it.

“Jack, Jack. Look at me.” Sally tried to keep her lover’s consciousness. “Please stay awake. Please.” She gently slapped the side of his skull if only to keep him alert a little while.  
“S-Sal-“ Jack let out a shaky cough. He weakly reached a skeletal hand to touch the ragdoll’s cheek briefly. His touch was light and lifeless, and then started to turn to black, glassy dust. His bones flaking away into dust and blowing away with a soft breeze. He looked at Sally’s face, desperately and apologetically as if he wanted to take in his dearest friend as his last sight. Jack gently smiled at Sally before turning to black ash completely, leaving her arms empty and stained with soot.  
Time stood still for a few agonizing moments. In those moments, Sally was paralyzed in place, unable to move a stitch with the heavy weight of what just happened sinking in. The first movement from the ragdoll was a tear falling from her eye, which was soon followed by more tears. She let out a soft wail, unable to form words in her state.  
_Please. Please come back. Please don’t leave me alone. _  
Sally’s mind, heart, and lungs felt as though they were filled with thick, black smoke. She felt faint, the smoke depriving her of her dearest friend—her breath. The world seemed to shatter like glass and fall to pieces around her.__

____

____

At once, Sally’s eyes snapped open. She found herself in a strange room. Wait, no. It was hers and Jack’s room. She was in bed. It seemed to be in the grey hours of the morning, the sun still not peeking over the horizon. Sally kicked away the blankets holding her captive in the bed, her body shivering from cold sweat and her face wet with tears. She turned her head to look at the space in the bed next to her, empty... Empty?! She sat up straight, fully alert.  
“Jack?!” Sally called out. She leapt to her feet, searching around the bed for him. Maybe he’d fallen out of bed in his sleep? Nope. Not there. In his basket bed, Zero opened one eye, seemingly annoyed at being interrupted from his slumber. The ragdoll’s mind and heart raced and the tears returned to her eyes.  
Then she noticed the door to the study tower, left open. Hadn’t it been closed when they’d retired the night before? Sally went up the stairs, heart still pounding rapidly. Nearing the top, she could see there was a lamp lit.  
Sure enough, when Sally got to the top of the spiral staircase, she found Jack fast asleep slumped over his desk in his armchair. Sally held her breath, tip-toeing to her lover in the chair. She reached out a hand just to touch his shoulder, make sure he was real. As her fingers barely touched his nightshirt, he started awake.  
“Hm?” Jack grunted, sitting up. He saw Sally standing over him. He chuckled a little and rubbed the back of his skull.  
“I had something to write down. Guess I must have fallen asleep.” He explained. He noticed the tearstains on the ragdoll’s cheeks and his expression quickly changed from amused embarrassment to concern.  
“Sally?” He reached to touch her cheek. “What’s wrong, dear?” His voice was gentle and innocent, and that was enough to break her. Sally leaned into his touch, reaching her hand up to meet his own and hold it to her cheek a little longer. She shook, tears falling from her eyes. Jack pulled the ragdoll into his arms, hugging her tightly.  
“It’s alright now. I’m here.” He tried to comfort her as best he could. Sally curled up in his lap, clinging as close to him as possible and burying her face in his shoulder.  
The pair stayed together like that for a while, Jack rubbing comforting circles into Sally’s back while she held onto him, calming herself down from her hysteria.  
“Do you want to talk about it?” Jack spoke up after a while.  
“No.” Sally replied with a shaky voice. “You’re here. That’s all that matters.” She lifted her head from his shoulder and cupped his cheek in her hand, staring into his black eyes. He smiled and planted a soft kiss to her forehead.  
“I’m not going anywhere, Sal. I’m here.”


End file.
